Visiting Monastery Chue Chang Temple BE2566 at SongKhla ~ HatYai City.

The Legendary Monastery Chue Chang Temple is regarded as one of the most beautiful Chinese temples in Hat Yai. This temple is known in Chinese as "Chue Cheang Yee" translate into Thai, it means "Mercy & Charity Temple". Which is a Mahayana Buddhist temple under the Mahayana Chinese Buddhist Order of Sangha in Thailand. In the past it was a small shrine with the marble floor where a resident of "God Lue Zhou" (1 in 8 immortals/8 genies), people generally call "Lue Zhou Shrine", which began construction in 1936 by Mr. Keng Teng Sae Lao Chinese trader who came to trade in Hat Yai community at that time. In 1937 Mr. Keng Teng Sae Lao dedicated Lue Zhou shrine to the Chinese priest, Ngouy Jong, who travel from China for studies, spread Dharma and settled in Hat Yai to look after forward, because Mr. Keng Teng decided to go back to his home town and not come back again. In 1948 Lue Zhou shrine raised the status from the shrine to be a Chinese temple in the Mahayana Buddhist sect and have been renovated since the past to the present time. On 24 June 1963, Mr. Se Kim Yong Chaiyakul managed to offer 875 square meters of his land to Chinese Priest Ngouy Jong, he was accepted under the approved of Maha Kanajarn-Jean (Great Chinese faculty) Master Thamsamathiwat (Pho Jang Maha They Rah) The Former Primate of the Great Chinese Sect and The Mahayana Chinese Buddhist Order of Sangha in Thailand. The Authorized the Religious Affairs Department accepted the land transfer from Mr. Se-Kim Yong Chaiyakul and registered Chue Chang temple under the Mahayana Chinese Buddhist Order of Sangha in Thailand up to now. On August 19, 1963, Chinese Priest Ngouy Jong bought 3 more plots of land from 3 local people in that area, approximately 404 square meters in total. On April 5, 1971, Chinese Priest Ngouy Jong was passed away. In the same year, Mahayana Chinese Buddhist Order of Sangha in Thailand by Primate of the Great Chinese Sect has appointed Chinese Priest Thamnantha-Jaen-prapan (Yi Meng), The Left Deputy of the Chinese Sect holding the abbot of Chue Chang Temple. On June 24, 1974, Chinese Priest Thamnantha-Jean-praphan (Yi Meng) was passed away. In the same year, Maha Kanajarnjean (Great Chinese faculty) Thamsamathiwat (Pho Jang Maha Thay Rah) has appointed Chinese Priest Thammanukorn (Yen house) holding as acting abbot of the temple, he was the 3rd abbot of Chue Chang temple and heading to the present time. Since 1974, and the temple has been renovated and restored to its current prosperity.

Photo taken at front side of Monastery Chue Chang, the 4-storey temple building.

Monastery Chue Chang temple with beautiful architecture combination of Chinese, Thai and Tibetan art as 4-storey of reinforced concrete building. The special features is decorated the whole building in this temple with handmade ceramic tiles. In addition, the special wall of the temple, which was given by the Abbot's idea that brought stories of the important events were occurred in HatYai community in the past, by recorded on ceramics and conveyed to decorating on the temple's walls for show to the visitors and future generations to know. Let's see the entrance arch of Monastery Chue Chang temple. It is a large entrance arch decorated with Chinese style, which has two arch was built on the left and right side of the temple.

Large censer pot at front side.

Photo taken at 1st floor Grand Hall.

The main altar at Grand Hall, which is beautifully decorated with ceramic tiles in Chinese style, which is used as a place of worship for Buddha images and gods, the resident of Buddha image and many various gods for example the first important is president of this temple is "God Lue Zhou" (1 in 8 immortals/ 8 genies) he is a master of medicine and treatment of diseases.

Photo taken with resident of the 60 gods who takes care of the destiny of the people in each year is the only one temple that has 60 gods according the twelve Chinese zodiac.

God Of Money ~ Chai Shen Yeh.

Altar of ancestor at another side hall.

The present abbot ~ Master Winyanukorn (YenHouse).

Another hall with main altar of Avalokitesvara Guan Yin. One of the great Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara according to beliefs, Buddhists pray to the Bodhisattva for help when heavy rains and major flooding. At that time, the Ruler ~ His Highness to came down to help those who were inundated but having only two hands would not be able to help them on time, she prayed, there would be thousands of eyes, and thousands of hands to be able to help one thousand people at a time. Suddenly, there was a miracle as she prayed. Chinese Buddhists therefore created the fictional Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara thousand hands.

The magnificent beautifully decorated with ceramic tiles in Chinese style.

The sacred sema stone ball.

In front of the entrance there are two of guardian lions stone (Shi Shi) who always standing in the front. The lion will be a symbol of glory and nobility and also get rid of bad things. Still has the power to eliminate demons and evil also helps to have status and reputation and helps prevent dangerous things that will enter the temple, will help to make it peaceful and without disturbance of ghosts, black magic and rascals. And will help support prosperity by increasing the power of the temple.

The whole building in this temple with handmade ceramic tiles.

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See more other Thai amulets at:

http://www.thaiamulets-dhammapath.blogspot.com/